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. 4 Sheets-Sheet L (No Model.)

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N. FL-rzns. mumompm, waning.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

BNORTON 8v J G. HODGSON. CAN TESTING MJ/GHUWJl No. 287,048. Patented Oct. 23, 1883.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.) E. NORTON &J. G. HODGSON.

GAN TESTING MACHINE.V No. 287,048. mem-.ed 001;. 28, 1888.

v 4Sheets-Sheet 4.

E. NORTON 8v J. G. HODGSON. y

GAN TESTING MAGHINE.

No. 287,048. Patented oct. 23, 1883.

(No Model.)

N. PETERS. Fhom-Lnnugnpher. washingmn. n.1;

UNITED 'STATES PATENT Orricn.

EDWIN-NORTONAND JOHN G. HODGSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO SAID NORTON AND OLIVER W. `NORTON, OF SAME-PLACE.

` CAN-TESTING MACHINE. l

SPECIFICATION forming` part of" Letters Fatent No. 287,048, dated ctober`23, 1883.V

Application filed November 23, 1882. (No model.)

f JOHN o. HODGSON, Citizens of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Testing Cans, of which the following'fis a specification.

The obj ect of the present invention is to provide an automatic machine for testing cans,to discover if there are any leaks in the same.

The invention consists in submerging in and `conveying the cans through a bath of hot water by means of an endless chain or carrier,to which the cans are delivered, the same having a device for closing the mouth or opening in the can while so submerged. The bath of hot water is of suflicient length, so that each can as it passes through is kept in the water long enough to expand the air therein, and thus .cause bubbles of air to escape and arise therefrom through the water if there should fbe any leaks, by which it may be detected and marked for rejection by an attendant. A chute Yor equivalent device is provided for delivering the cans automatically to the carrier, and after the cans come from the bath they are automatically delivered from the carrier into a heating or drying trough or passage, bywhich the cans are' quickly and effectually dried, and discoloration or tarnishing of the tin by the moisture thereby prevented. By this means the cans pass automatically into the apparatus and out of the same properly dried and ready for packing, so that the attention ofthe only operator required may be exclusively directed to watching the cans in their passage through the water, and to the discovery and rejection of the imperfect ones.

In the accompanying drawings, which form apart of this speciiicatiomwe have shown what we deem one of the best forms of our invention. j j

In said drawings similar letters of reference indicate like parts wherever used, and Figure 1 is a side elevation `of a machine embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of one eud of the machine, the chain or carrier devicebeing removed. Figs. 3 and/lare cross-sections through the tank on lines 3 3 and 4 4, respectively, of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail `plan view of a short section of the chain or carrier, and Fig. 6 is a side view of the same. Fig. 7 is a side View ofthe chains,showingthe method of adjusting the can pockets or receptacles to cans of different sizes. .j

` In the drawings, A represents the frame of the machine; B, the hot-water bath or tank, and C the endless chain or carrier, to which the cans are delivered from the chute D. The carrier C is'supported upon and driven by sprocket wheels or pulleys E E' FP on shafts e and e at each end of the machine. The shafts e and e are journaled in suitable bearings on the frame of the machine, and one of said shafts is provided with a driving-pulley, by which power is communicated to the apparatus. This pulley, however, is not shown in the drawings. The upper part of the carrier rides upon curvedways F F F2, which extend down into and up out of the water bath or tank at the ends thereof, and the lower part of the carrier rides upon straight ways or guides G, .extending between the sprocket wheels or pulleys to support the carrier. The carrier C is composed of links or barsja a and b Z, hinged together by cross-rods c. The cans are supported in the chain by depending arms d d, adjustably secured to the links b at one end of the can receptacle or pocket, and tofa sliding cross-bar or link, b', at the other end. The arms d are secured to sleeves d,which slide on the link-bars I) b', and are adjusted for cans of differentsizes by means of a pivoted band?,

provided with notches d3, which engage with pins or projections d* on the slides d. The mouth or stud-hole of the can is closed by a conical `rubber head, g, on the disk g', which is secured to a pin, g2, rigidly fixed to the bar b', at its middle. This pin g2 is the pivot on which the adjusting-bar d2 turns, and it reciprocates back and forth in a suitable hole or bearing in the link-bar b. The head g, which is preferably made of rubber, is`pressed against the can, so as to close the'opening therein airtight before the can reaches the hot-water bath by means of a curved cam, H, extending down into and through the water bath, with which the head or end of the pin g2 comes in contact. This cam II ispreferably made of angle-iron,

IOO

2 j Y esame so that the upper leg or flange of the same may project over the head of the pin g2 and serve to curve and hold the can-carrier down in the water if the Weight of the same should notbe sufficient to overcome the buoyancy ofthe cans. By the cams H the cans are securelyr held or clamped between the rubber heads f/ and the opposite link-bars, I). The cams H, one on each side of the apparatus, as will be observed from the plan view, Fig. 2, which, however, shows one end of the apparatus only, approach or are inclined toward each other at the enl trance to thetank, so as to force the pins g2.

which carry the rubber heads g inward, and thus close the cap or opening in the can. The Vportions of the cams Hwhich extend through `the tank are parallel to each other, so as to keep the heads g pressed tightly against the cans while they are submerged in the water.

At the opposite end of the tank the cams H again incline outward or away from each other, so that the rubber head g may be withdrawn, to release the cans from the carrier. These opposite link-bars may, if preferred, be provided with a flat disk, for the end of the can to bear against; but if the links b are made of flat bars there will be no danger of injury tothe ends of the cans from the pressure. The heads g are retracted, so as to release the cans after they are conveyed out of the bath, and the pin gireaches the inclined part oi' the cam H at the opposite end of the apparatus by means of spiral springs h on the rods c, pressing against the bars b. The collar h, against which the other end of the springs h press, may be adjusted, to regulate the tension of the springs, by means of the set-screws h2.

It will be observed that the apparatus we have shown in the drawings is double, or adapted to carry two rows of cans, side by side, through the bath, and this we deem the preferable construction; but obviously the apparatus may be adapted to carry one or more rows, if desired. The outside pulleys, E and E', are preferably made polygonal in form, to correspond to the length of the links of the chain, and the middle pulleys, E2, are preferably spider-wheels, with arms having notches therein, to iit the sleeve c on the rods @between the link-bars.

K is the chute, by which the cans are delivered from the carriers to the drying trough or passage M, which is provided with steamcoil or other heating apparatus, by which the cans are thoroughly dried after coming from the bath.

Y The water in the tank may be kept hot by any suitable means-as, for example, by circulation through a heating-pipe, or by steam-coil immersed therein.

The device for carrying the cans through the bath may of course be made of various constructions without departing from the principle of our invention. We however prefer to use the can carrying device shown. 'Of course it will be understood that `the can-supporting arms are to be so adj usted as to bring the mouth or opening in the can opposite the rubber head. If preferred, the heads for closing the openings in the cans may be secured to the fixed link-bar b at the opposite end of the can pocket or receptacle, instead of to the movable bar b.` ln that case of course the eens would be delivered to the carrier with their ends reversed.

rlihe machine may also be used for testing cans which have no openings. In that case of course the device for closing the openings need not be used.

Instead of an endless chain, as shown, for carrying the cans, the can-carrier device may consist of a revolving wheel or other movable device adapted to submerge the cans in the hot-water bath.

The cams H H are adjusted by means of the pin J, set-screw J, and bracket J2, which is secured to the tank B. Theways or tracks F, F', and F2 may be adjusted by the screws f f.

TNe claim- 1. The combination of a hot-water bath or tank with an endless-chain can-carrier provided with devices for clamping the cans therein and closing the openings in the cans, a cam foroperating said clamping device, and a chute for delivering the cans to the carrier, substantially as speciiied.

2. In a can-testing machine, the combination of a tankwith a can-delivery chute, a can-carrier provided with pockets adapted to automatically receive the cans as they roll from said chute and convey them through said tank, and a device for closing the openings in the cans as they are conveyed, substantiallyA as speciiied.

3. In a can-testing machine wherein a bath of hot water is employed for testing the cans, the combination of a tank with a can-submerging carrier for conveying the cans through said tank of hot water, a device for closing the openings in the cans while being submerged, a heated trough or passage for drying the tested cans as they come hot from the bath, and a chute for delivering the cans from the carrier to the drying trough or passage, whereby tarnishing and discoloration of the tin is prevented, as the cans coming hot from the bath are immediately dried, substantially as specified.

4. The combination of a tank, a cali-carrying device extending through said tank, a chute for delivering the cans thereto, a device for closing the openings in the cans, and a chute for delivering the cans from the carrier, substantially as specified.

5. The combination, with a tank, of a cancarrier provided with a device for clamping the cans therein, ways or tracks for supporting said carrier, extending into and out of said tank, and a curved cam or guide for operating the clamping devices and keeping the cancarrier submerged, substantially as speciiied.

6. rlhe combination of the tank, curved IOO cam, can carrier provided with adjustable oross-rods c, movable link-bars b', springs h, 1o can-supporting arms7 movable clamping-bar, adjustable can-supporting arms d, pin g2, and and a head for Closing the opening in the can, adj ust-ing look-bar d2, substantially as specisubstantally as specified. ed.

5 7. The combination of link-bars a a' and b b, EDVIN NORTON.

cross-rods c, movable link-bars b', adjust-able JOHN G. HODGSON. can-supporting ams d, head y, pin g2, @am H, Witnesses: and tank B, substantially as specified. H.' M. MUNDAY,

8. The combination of link-bars a a and b b, T. EVERETT BROWN. 

